1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of communications and, more particularly, to communications management.
2. Description of the Related Art
Communication advances have resulted in numerous communication channels being routinely employed for interpersonal contacts. Common communication channels include, but are not limited to, emailing, telephoning, chatting via the Internet, instant messaging, video teleconferencing, and faxing. The various communication channels, many of which are extremely easy to use in a cost efficient manner, have resulted in a large volume of routinely conveyed messages being delivered to individuals.
Appropriately handling this large volume of incoming messages can be a daunting and time consuming task. Indeed, appropriately handling the messages can require an individual to prioritize received messages in order of urgency. Prioritizing messages, however, can force individuals to repetitively sift through the various available communication channels though which messages arrive. Further complicating matters is the increase in the difficulty of the sifting is increased by direct marketing practices, such as email solicitation and telemarketing, which can fill up voice mailboxes, answering machines, and email boxes with lengthy, unwanted messages.
Some users needlessly waste valuable time repetitively checking voicemail messages, email, faxes, postal mail, cellular messages, and other recipient communication devices for fear of missing a critical message. Other users, however, inadvertently miss important information or fail to respond in a timely fashion because a particular recipient device was not checked often enough.
Communication difficulties are further intensified by the number of different communication sources and applications available for each communication channel. Alternatively, different sources can exist for instant messaging, receiving faxes, receiving telephone calls, email, and the like. For example, a student can have one email account for school, one for personal messages, and another for a part-time job. The student can, therefore, be forced to check three different email accounts just to receive the student's email messages. Similarly, different recipient devices and/or different software applications can exist for instant message channels, fax channels, telephony channels, and the like.